Paper-based amorphous Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetector with improved flexibility and stability

Flexible devices provide advantages such as conformability, portability, and low cost. Paper-based electronics offers a number of advantages for many applications. It is lightweight, inexpensive, and biodegradable, making it an ideal choice for disposable electronics. In this work, we propose a novel configuration of photodetectors using paper as flexible substrates and amorphous Ga2O3 as the active materials, respectively. The photoresponse characteristics are investigated systematically. A decent responsivity yield and a specific detectivity of up to 66 mA/W and 3 x 1012 Jones were obtained at a low operating voltage of 10 V. The experiments also demonstrate that neither the twisting nor bending deformation can bring obvious performance degradation to the device. This work presents a candidate strategy for the application of conventional paper substrates to low-cost flexible solar-blind photodetectors, showing the potential of being integrated with other materials to create interactive flexible circuits.

Automated summary

Flexible devices have advantages such as conformability, portability, and low cost. Paper-based electronics are lightweight, inexpensive, and biodegradable, making them suitable for disposable electronics. This work proposes a novel configuration of photodetectors using paper as flexible substrates and amorphous Ga2O3 as the active materials. The photoresponse characteristics are systematically investigated, and decent responsivity yield and detectivity are achieved at a low operating voltage. The experiments also demonstrate the device's resistance to twisting and bending deformation. This study presents a candidate strategy for low-cost flexible solar-blind photodetectors using paper substrates and shows their potential for integration with other materials.